The Heat Is On: Emerging Ecosystems in the Thermostat Industry

Beth Wozniak, President of Honeywell Environmental and Combustion Controls (ECC) at Honeywell International Inc., spun around in her office chair, reflecting about how the classic, mature thermostat industry was rapidly evolving. In February 2014, Google paid $3.2 billion to acquire Nest Labs, a new startup whose goal was to reinvent unloved home devices, such as thermostats and smoke alarms. Their smart thermostats posed a threat to the traditional thermostat business, and it was essential that Honeywell determine the best way to respond. In addition to selling thermostats, Nest had ambitious plans to facilitate connections between Nest and other companies, making it easier for consumers to save money and energy. Many companies were developing smart, connected products that could be controlled remotely. But who really wanted to check ten different apps to make sure the heat was down, the doors were locked, and the lights were turned off? The Internet of Things (IoT) redefined the potential of industries, allowing a company that created a smart, connected product to develop an entire system of products that worked together. How would Honeywell, the mature, industrial company in a basic, mechanical business, compete with the new startup bought by Google and developing its own ecosystem—notably giving away thermostats to Airbnb in return for selling data to utilities?